wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks. More questions (sorry I'm such a pain):

- Would it be helpful to move everything out of the room above it
before we start banging away, to reduce the weight on the joists from
above?

Helpful? Maybe. Necessary? No. Unless you've got a 400 pound TV or
something....


- Is any jacking needed to get the weight off the joist before banging
on it or will the banging be enough?

No. But if you've got the time and the gumption then go for it. It will be
less Neanderthal than muscling the blocks in. You need two jacks and a
crossbeam about 36" long made up of 3 2x6 nailed together. Place the
crossbeam across 3 joists with the target joist in the center about 24" away
from the beam and using a small test block of 2x10 jack s-l-o-w-l-y until
the test block slides in nice and easy. Do both sides and then install the
fireblock.


- Does the blocking have to be right over the central beam or can it be
off to the side a little? I ask this because of the stupid plywood
gusset. Because it doesn't cover the full width of the joist I don't
think I could get smooth fit - there will always be a gap between the
blocking and the joist at the un-gusset areas above and below the
plywood.

Here it is viewed from the side:

______________________________________
joist 1 | joist 2
___________________
| |
| gusset |
----------------------------------
|
---------------------------------------------------------


Three options:
1- remove the gussets and throw them away. As long as the joists bear at
least 2" on the beam and are toe nailed into the beam they are unnecessary
anyway.
2- remove the gussets and install new gussets that are 9.25" tall.
3- cut strips of plywood to infill the top and bottom of the gussets to fill
in all 9.25".

- And since there is no joist overlap at the beam should I be running a
line of alternating blocking down either side of the beam, since the
joists aren't really joined well and when I block one joist it won't
100% stabilize the other side?

The fireblock is 1.5" thick. it should cover 3/4" of both joists on both
sides. One in every joist bay. Or you could double up the fireblocks, 2 in
each joist bay. It's common sense. You want to block both joists, both
sides, any way you see fit.


Aggression and exhaustion won't be a problem, I'll just pretend it's
the building inspector :lol: .

He wouldn't care. Believe me!

.
Everything you explained was "state of the art" for the 1970's.

That's a terrifying thought.

You should see what they could get away with in the 1950's!!


They don't build em like they used to, and that's a good thing.

You got that right.

Liz